Barolo Mosconi DOCG 2021

A Barolo of pressure and depth, channelling its power into a finely grained tannin. The nose is as dark as the colour: cassis, blackberry and blueberry, lavender and violet, followed by leather, undergrowth, liquorice, tobacco, mint and aged meat. In the glass, deep cherry red, barely transparent.

The oldest parcels of the Mosconi vineyard in Monforte d'Alba, at around 400 metres above sea level. Slightly grey, calcareous clay marls alternate with siliceous sandstones; where calcium carbonate and iron are present, the soil takes on a warmer hue with a slight tendency towards pink. It gives the wine structure and the capacity for long ageing, while the cool nights at this altitude shape its fine-grained tannin.

Nebbiolo in the Michet and Lampia clones. Harvest began in early October and was completed by 12 October. Fermentation took place in rotary tanks with two pump-overs a day; the wine remained on the skins for 14 days. Malolactic fermentation also took place in stainless steel. This was followed by two years' ageing in large casks and barriques of French oak.

Juicy, firm and lively, with a light floral perfume, plenty of pressure and power. The dark fruit carries tobacco, spice and earthy notes. The wine has substance and a gripping quality, while remaining fine, with depth and structural clarity.

Chiara Boschis took over the running of E.Pira & Figli in 1990, becoming the first woman to own and run a winery in the Langhe. As the only woman among the Barolo Boys, she introduced shorter maceration and ageing in French barriques. In Cannubi, she was the first to convert to organic farming and, with the Cannubi Bio project, had won over around 80 percent of the growers in that cru by 2015. The Mosconi comes from three hectares; since 2010 she has run the estate together with her brother Giorgio.